Automatic switch.



PVATENTED DEC. 10, 1907;. F. M. HALL. AUTOMATIC SWITCH. APPLIGATIONFILED AUG. 31, 1907;

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 873,368. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907 F. M.HALL. v

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1907.

2 SHEETS-QUIET 2.

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r a, A973 2' amoewcoz UNITE STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANCIS M. HALL, OF POTOMAO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHNGOODWINE AND ONE-THIRD TO ULYSSES S. GOODWINE, OF POTOMAC, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed August 31- 1907. Serial No. 390.991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. HALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at P0- tomac, in the county of Vermilion and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Automatic Switch, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to rail-way switches and has for its object toprovide means operable by a passing train for automatically closing theswitch when the train is approaching the switch from either direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide pivoted track devicesdisposed one on each side of the switch and arranged in the path ofmovement of the train for moving the switch to closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to generally improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefiiciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood'that various changes in form, proportions and minordetails. of construction may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 isa top plan view of a switch closing mechanism constructed inaccordance with my invention, showing the switch in open position. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same, a portion of the casing or housingbeing broken away to show the construction of the operating mechanism.Fig. 3 is a top plan view showing the switch in closed position. Fig. 4is a perspective view of the casing or housing with t e cover detached.Figs. 5 and 6 are a side elevation and plan, res ectively, of a modifiedform of the whee -engaged means for causing the operation of the switch.Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modified form of connections between theswitch points and operating means therefor.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved switch operating mechanism forming the subject matter ofthe present invention is principally designed for use in connection wlthsteam rail-ways and by way of illustration is shown applied to arail-way of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the mainline, 6 the siding and 7 the switch points mounted on the cross ties 8,as shown.

Arranged on one side of the track and preferably disposed parallel withthe adjacent main rail 5 is a casing-or housing 9 having a standard orsemaphore-arm 10 mounted for rotation therein and provided at its freeend with a signal-light 11 of any approved con- 7 struction.

Secured to the base of the casing or housing 9 is an over-hanging arm orbracket 12 one end of which is s aced from the base of the casing andprovi ed with an opening 13 which forms a bearing for the lower end ofthe standard 10.

Interposed between the arm 12 and the base of the casing'9 is a crossarm 14 having its intermediate portion ierced by the adjacent end of thestandar 10 and to which it is rigidly secured so that any movementimparted to the arm 14 will cause a corresponding movement of thesemaphore arm or standard 10.

Pivotally connected at 15 to one end of the arm 14 is a rod or lever 16which is in turn connected with the switch points 7 by means of a bridlebar 17.

Secured to the o posite end of the arm 14 is one end of a coil dd spring18 the opposite end of which is secured in any suitable manner to a bossor stud 19 extending vertically of the base of the casingor housing,said spring serving to tilt the cross arm when the locking device isreleased and thus close the switch.

Secured in any suitable manner to the cross ties 8 on each side of theswitch are longitudinal bars 20 having elongated slots 21 formed.therein in which are pivotally mounted on stub shafts 22 suitable trackde-- vices or tappets 23.

The stub shafts 22 are provided withterminal crank arms 24 to which areconnected longitudinal operatin rods 25 each having its inner endsprovide with an eye 26 for the reception of the chains or cables 27 and28, respectively. The free end of the chain or cable 27 extends over apulley 29 mounted for rotation in the casing or housing and isoperatively connected with the free end of a locking member or bar 30,the chain or cable 28 being also secured to said locking member, asshown, so that a lateral pressure exerted on either of the tappets 23will efiect the movement of the locking member or bar 30 and thus permitthe throwing of the switch.

The bar 30 is provided with a locking notch or recess 31 adapted toreceive the extension 32 of the.arm 14, said locking bar being yieldablysupported in engagement with the extension of the arm 14 by means of acoiled spring 33.

The connecting rod or lever 16 passes through a guiding loop or keeper33 while the free end of the bar 30 is slidably mounted on a wear plate34 which also extends beneath the bar 1.6, as shown.

It will thus be seen that when a train approaches the switch from eitherdirection the tread of the wheel will depress the adjacent tappet 23 andthrough the medium of the adjacent rod 25 and chain 27 exert a lateralpull on the locking member 30 against the tension of coiled spring 32,thus permitting the spring 18 to tilt the arm 14 and move the switch toclosed position, so that the train is free to travel over the main railswithout entering the siding.

In order to open the switch it is merely necessary to rotate theoperating handle 35 which causes the extension 32 of the arm 14 to beguided by the inclined face or cam 35 of the locking bar into the recess31 and in which position the bar will be held in engagement with the armby the tension of the' coiled spring 33.

If desired the rods 25 may extend through a conduit or pipe 37 disposedparallel with the track so as to protect the same against the action ofthe elements.

Instead of employing the tappets 23 to operate the rods 25 and throughthem the switch-operating mechanism, I may employ a structure such asshown in Fi s. 5 and 6. In this case there are provided long springstrips 38 alongside of the rail and so bent as to extend up above therail to be in the path of the rim of the wheel of an approaching train.One end of the strip 38 is immovably secured to a tie 8, while the otherend is pivotally secured to one end of a lever 39 which, in turn, ispivoted as indicated at 40 to a tie 8, while that end of the lever 39remote from the end connected to the spring strip 38 is pivotallyconnected to the rod 25. Now, when the body portion of the strip 38 isengaged by a wheel rim the strip is depressed, but its ends being heldfrom downward movement and one end being held from any movement, the endconnected to the lever 30 must needs move longitudinally and thus impelthe lever 39 about its pivot 40, thereby drawing the rod 25 in adirection to cause the operation of the switch. The spring stripprovides a somewhat sluggish operating means for releasing theswitch-operating mechanism, and, consequently, the connect ing parts arenot subjected to sudden impulses which would. tend. to inure the parts.

Instead of connecting the rod 16 directly to the switch points it may beconnected thereto through the intermediary ot' a lever 41 as shown inFig. 7, thus permitting a longer movement of the rod 16 for the requiredmovement of the switch points than in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 3.The waist/ruction shown in Fig. 7 admits oi. greater lev orage betweenthe operating spring 18 and the switch points than does the constructionshown in the other named iligures.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing, a standard journaled in the housing, a pivoted arm secured toand movable with the standard, a connection between the arm and switchrails, a locking member engaging one end of the arm for locking theswitch in open position, and. track devices operatively connected withthe locking member For releasing the latter thereby to etl'ect theclosing of the switch.

2. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing, a standard journaled in the housing, an arm arranged withinthe housing and movable with the standard, a connection between the armand switch rails, a locking bar having a recess formed. therein for thereception of the adjacent end of the arm, track devices disposed onopposite sides of the housing and operatively connected with the lockingbar, said track devices being operable by a passing train to release thelocking bar and ell'ect the closing of the switch.

3. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing, a bracket disposed within the housing, a standard journaledin the bracket, an arm interposed between the bracket and housing andsecured to the standard, a connection be.- tween the arm and switchrails, a ')ivoted locking member adapted to engage th 1 arm for lockingthe switch in open position, and track devices connected with thelocking member and operable by a passing train for moving the lockingmember to released position thereby to ellect the movement of theswitch.

4. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing dis posed on one side of the main rails, a bracket disposedwithin the housing, a, stainlard journaled in the bracket and. havingits upper end provided with a signal, an arm, secured to the lower endof the standard and interposed between the bracket and the housing, aconnection between one end of the arm and switch rails, a spring securedto the opposite end of the arm, a locking member having a recess formedtherein and adapted to engage the arm for locking the switch inopen'position, and track devices disposed one on each side of thehousing and operatively connected with the locking member for releasingthe latter thereby to close the switch.

5. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing arranged on one side of the main rails, a stand: ard journaledin the housing and provided with a signal, an arm secured to and mountedfor rotation with the standard, a connection between one end of the armand switch rails, a spring arranged within the housing and secured tothe opposite end of the arm, a pivoted locking bar having arecess formedtherein adapted to receive the adjacent end of the arm, means fornormally and yieldablysupporting the locking bar in engagement with thearm, and track devices connected with the locking bar and operable by a.passing train to release said locking bar thereby to effect the closingof the switch.

6. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,longitudinal bars disposed parallel with the main rails and having slotsformed therein, stub shafts ournaled in the walls of the slots andprovided with depending arms, tappets carried bythe stub shafts andextending above the tread surface of the rails, a housing, a standardjournaled in the housing and provided with a signal, an arm secured toand mounted for rotation with the standard, a connection between one endof the arm and the switch rails, a locking member adapted to engage theadjacent end of the arm, and a flexible connection between the crankarms and the locking bar for releasing the latter thereby to effect theclosing of the switch.

7. The combination with the main rails and siding, of the switch rails,a housing, a bracket secured to the housing and having one end spacedfrom the base of the housing, a standard journaled in the bracket andprovided with a signal, an arm interposed between the bracket andhousing and secured to the adjacent end of the standard, a keeper, a rodextending through the keeper and forming a connection; between the armand the switch rails, a roller mounted for rotation within the housing,alocking member pivoted to the base of the housing and having a recessformed therein for the reception of the adj acent end of the arm, saidlocking member being provided with a cam face, a spring for normally andyieldably supporting the looking member in engagement with the ad jacentend of the'arm, a track device disposed on each side of the housing, aspring secured to the arm, and a flexible medium secured to each trackdevice and passing over the roller for engagement with the lockingmember, said track device being operable by a passing train to releasethe locking member thereby to close the switch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. HALL.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. LEONARD, IRA LARKIN.

